Ser Altum of Tunleras, Knight of the Stride
"I do not profess in justice; nor do I profess in vengeance. My family was slaughtered by a creature of darkness. I seek it now not to hold it accountable for its actions, but instead to end it, so that no other will feel the sorrow I have felt." Ser Altum of Tunleras was a Knight active in the last years of the Age of Lords who dedicated his life to hunting wicked spirits, ghosts and demons in any form he could find them. Altum lived a nomadic life, rarely staying in the same town for more than two festivals. However, he did in fact hold a title as a consecrated bannerman to the King of Tunleras, lording over the keep of Shadehold on the eastern shore of that kingdom. History Altum was born into a small village on the western shore of Lake Caelohn, the site of modern Aechar. Altum's original birthname was Andiach. His mother, a weaver, died giving birth to Andiach; his father, Aenchin, was chieftain of the Aecha clan, the ruling body of the region and the closest thing ancient Aechar had to a King. Andiach was trained from a young age to shape and work metal, and became his village's premier metalsmith. When Andiach's father died, a mysterious rider came to the village for the funeral and offered Andiach a bargain. Andiach had never wanted to inherit leadership from his father, preferring a simple life of forgework. So the rider would take over the village's affairs if Andiach would forge armor, shields and spears for the ten companions the rider had brought with him. In payment, the rider would give Andiach the ten golden rings and pendant he was wearing. The rings could be sold for coin, but the rider insisted Andiach keep the pendant, for he said its worth was much greater than Andiach could comprehend. Andiach forged the ten suits of equipment from durable bronze and left Aechar behind, journeying south to an island called Durumua, under the rule of the Asytun Kings of Tunleras. Andiach worked for years as a smith on Durumua, married an islander girl and had several children. His every wish was fulfilled. However, tragedy struck one night when a spirit possessed Andiach and forced him to stab and kill his family in their beds. When the spirit left his body, Altum was too shocked to take any action until morning. When dawn arrived, Andiach buried his family on a coastal cliff near their home, and planted a cando sapling amidst the graves. When the work was done, a Messenger appeared to him and offered him a magical golden ring. The Messenger told Andiach that he should set out and destroy the spirit, to prevent such a tragedy from recurring. And so he took to his forge to make one last suit of equipment, and, upon donning it, took a new identity: Altum the Strider. Altum spent the next years wandering Lakasa and slaying evil spirits. Legends say he was favored by King Asytun and was knighted and granted the keep of Shadehold as his own. Altum gave the keep over to a steward and rarely visited it, preferring to wander on his quest. Sources also say that, when Akalis the Conqueror came to Tunleras, Altum rode out first to greet him and dueled Akalis in single combat, putting the warlord to the ground. Altum told Akalis that he could take the Bonehall by force, but that it would cripple his army. Altum advised a peaceable union with the king of Tunleras. It was following Altum's advice that King Asytun was offered the position of Steward of the South, Count of Tunleras. Count Asytun maintained a great deal of power, and both the Tunlerites and the Aecharians benefited from the union. For his ceaseless service to the realm, the Strider was made Shield of the South and offered further lands and holds. However, Altum refused, desiring nothing but justice for his family. Altum was also said to have helped Akalis to conquer part of Eregar during the Period of Conquest. It was sometime during the early Period of Conquest that Altum is supposed to have found his target, the spirit who slew his family, and legends say he mercilessly put the spirit down. After that, Altum the Strider disappears from history. Most believe that, once his purpose was complete, he went west and joined his family. However, some esoteric accounts claim that Altum appeared in the middle of the Age of Dominion to help Emperor Salken put down the rebellion of the Witch-Lord Derrunh of Limari. This is highly unlikely, though, considering that would claim Altum helped to lay siege to a demonic stronghold when he was well over seven hundred years old. At that point in history, he was almost certainly dead. Equipment and Abilities Altum was known to wield a hand-and-a-half sword, made in the traditional Scete style of southern Lakasa. He wore a great kite shield, heavy interlocking plate with lamellar and a closed burganet helm which is said to have vague semblance to a wolf or bear. Altum's equipment was all cast black Machan charsteel, making it staggeringly strong but astonishingly light. Altum was an expert in combat with sword and shield, but his reputation for physical combat pales in comparison to his association with the mystical. Altum is believed to have been a holder of a Bondshatter Stone Pendant, allowing his soul to walk independently of his body at any desired time, leading to his title of "Strider" (this ability is called striding or soul striding). This was instrumental in Altum's quest, as many of his enemies were otherworldy, ethereal spirits who could only be hurt by magic. By striding, Altum was capable of fighting them in the manner most comfortable to him: melee. Altum was also granted a boon from the Messengers to aid in his hunting of spirits: the Voracious Golden Band. With the Golden Band, Altum could absorb and consume any spirit he killed, fortifying his own power and resistances. By combining these two artifacts and an overwhelming drive to finish his quest, Altum became a force to be feared, should one come between him and his goals. Miscellaneous Notes and Trivia * Altum's name is derived from Emperor Altoum, the ruler of China in the Puccini's opera Turandot.